MTG COTD: Bioplasm

[klducks]

[IMG200]http://magiccards.info/scans/en/gp/81.jpg[/IMG200]
Bioplasm - Guildpact. Rare
3GG: Whenever Bioplasm attacks, remove the top card of your library from the game. If it's a creature card, Bioplasm gets +X/+Y until end of turn, where X is the removed creature card's power and Y is its toughness. (A * on a card not in play is 0.)
4/4


5 for a 4/4 that has a pump ability.. okay sure. It's green so 5 mana aint a problem to drop out. However, this card really only works well with Sensei's Top abuse with a deck full of creatures. Not to mention, you can sacrifice a 99/99 off the top of your deck. It will still get chump blocked by a 0/.1 creature.

If the effect read "Whenver Bioplasm attacks, YOU MAY REMOVE the top card of your libary..." it might get some more props. You dont want to deck yourself out with a card that destroys your creature count, as well as gets chump blocked horribly. Something like Llanowar Behemoth gets more props.

The Duck's Rating: 1.5/5

 

[Shadow Trainer]

4/4 for five is not bad, but the effect is.So when this attacks you reveal the top card of your library, if it's a creature Bioplasm gets pumped. If it's not a creature you just lost a card, even if Bioplasm gets pumped because of it's effect, it has no evasion. So it's going to just get blocked. 2/5

 

[chaoslord]

Wow...just wow..

Bad people. The effect is no worse than Dark Confidants, or Living Infernos.
So what, you remove a card from the game? You cant even USE the card right then and there, most times. And look at Psychatog. Great card. It, however, requires getting rid of cards IN HAND or in graveyard. Both of those are more useful than cards in deck, 9 times out of 10.

Anyways, onto this card. A 4/4 for 5 is most times good. Plus, it self pumps. Who gives a damn that you have to remove a card in your library? Theres SDT, obv. And even if you dont have it, its still a good ability. Sure, it can be costly, but thats called "taking a risk". Same with Dark Confidant. And it would probably be better with a may, but who cares? It DOESNT say may. Live with it. It's STILL a good card.

And what happens if you give it evasion? Or, work with me now, THEY HAVE NO CREATURES? How can they chump block without anything to block with? The possibilites are astounding....

3/5. I almost want to give this a 4, but I think a 3 will suffice, because of the number of green cards available, plus this is more of a black ability. Eh.

 

[klducks]

Bad people. The effect is no worse than Dark Confidants, or Living Infernos.
So what, you remove a card from the game? You cant even USE the card right then and there, most times. And look at Psychatog. Great card. It, however, requires getting rid of cards IN HAND or in graveyard. Both of those are more useful than cards in deck, 9 times out of 10.

You can use the card, if were talking about this card + top. In this case, you CAN use the card with a simp tap on top

Anyways, onto this card. A 4/4 for 5 is most times good. Plus, it self pumps. Who gives a damn that you have to remove a card in your library? Theres SDT, obv. And even if you dont have it, its still a good ability. Sure, it can be costly, but thats called "taking a risk". Same with Dark Confidant. And it would probably be better with a may, but who cares? It DOESNT say may. Live with it. It's STILL a good card.

Yes, taking a risk. Dark Confidant gets you an extra draw, Living Inferno deals 8 damage. This card? A boost with no evasion. yes.

Comparing risk for risk, a pump on a non evasion vs card advantage/ removal...

And what happens if you give it evasion? Or, work with me now, THEY HAVE NO CREATURES? How can they chump block without anything to block with? The possibilites are astounding....

Thats like saying Skyshroud Behemoth gets a 3/5.

Giving it evasion? So you'd have to fill your deck with evasion cards. Then wheres all the creature's gonna go that are going to be used to pump Pyroclasm?

Granted, this card can be abused like hell with Top and constant shuffling with Kodama's Reach + Elders. However, it'll get chump blocked to the heavens.

Or you could give it evasion, but your deck will easily run out of creatures to pump, which would make this card no greater then other 5 drops and give them evasion that dont mill off your deck.

 

[chaoslord]

The flaw in your thought is that the Behemoth DOES get a 3/5. Living Inferno dies more times than not. Dark confidant can drain your life. This card has the LEAST drawback of the three. What happens if confidant draws into something you cant play? Whoops, youre SOL. By the logic youre using here, which I'm reapplying, Dark Confidant is BARELY better than this thing. Hell, its probably worse, seeing as its got a smaller body. The thing is, with green, you hit them with a LOT of creatures. Eventually, this guy WILL hit. And when he does, it will hurt. There are PLENTY of ways to give this guy evasion in trample, seeing the colors. I cant believe Im having to defend this card. Jesus people.

 

[klducks]

The flaw in your thought is that the Behemoth DOES get a 3/5.

How a 7 drop non evasive creature that comes into play TAPPED and can only swing in once get a 3/5, i'll never know

Living Inferno dies more times than not. Dark confidant can drain your life. This card has the LEAST drawback of the three.

IMO Living Inferno has the least drawback of the 3.

Agreed, Dark Confidant has the worst draw back. Living Inferno's drawback doesn't affect you at all while Living Inferno takes all of the hits.

Eventually, this guy WILL hit. And when he does, it will hurt.

And by then, you'd probably run out of creatures on the top of your deck. Kodama of the North Tree please.

There are PLENTY of ways to give this guy evasion in trample, seeing the colors.

THERE ARE. I already said you can. However, it's not gonna help your chances making this guy a big buff dude when you do get a chance to get a hit in.

I cant believe Im having to defend this card. Jesus people.

Calm down bud. It's just a card rate.

 

[Sergay Wang]

Chaoslord, I think your logic is fairly off.

Bioplasm is AT BEST a 2/5. Comparing it to Dark Confidant and Psychatog is easily one of the worse things I have ever had to read in my MTG lifetime.

Firstly, Dark Confidant gives you insane card advantage. Yes, you lose life everytime you hit something with a cost greater then zero, but that doesn't matter. People have been paying life for more draws for a long time. The best and next closests example being Phyrexian Arena. Other good ones are Night's Whisper and Plunge into Darkness or even Greed and Vampiric Tutor. Card advantage wins games, so who cares if your life total is 20 or 1 if your opponent's is zero.

With Dark Confidant, you get to keep the top of your deck. With Bioplasm, it's lost until the game is over. While Dark Confidant might draw into something unplayable at the moment you draw it, it doesn't mean it cannot be played later. With Bioplasm, it's just gone.

Now, comparing Bioplasm to Psychatog is like comparing the best thing on Earth to a piece of garbage you picked up at the dump.

The main difference is, with Psychatog, you feed it and it's guarenteed to get bigger. Your opponent won't know what size Smilie will be before he blocks. Does the player have a Thirst For Knowledge or Fact or Fiction to give it more cards to feed? Or is it simply the number we see now? Or will he just keep it a 1/2 if it's unblocked?

With Bioplasm, you have to have it charge into the enemy and play a game of risk. Will the card you reveal show something large enough for your creature to be bigger/better then anything your opponent has in play? Or will it hit nothing and be a simple 4/4?

Your opponent will see how large your Bioplasm is before he blocks, as removal of top deck is done upon declaration of attack. This means if you reveal a 5/5, your opponent can easily just drop a 1/1 to chump it thanks to the lack of evasion. And if you reveal a instant, sorcery, or land, your opponent can just drop a their 5/5 to take it down. And when that happens, not only did you lose your 5 mana 4/4, but you also lost a potentially playable card that was the unfortunate victim of Bioplasm.

Not only does Bioplasm open it's owner to possibly accelerating Dimir's milling strategy, and victory, but it can also potentially ruin you, as you may just lose your game winning cards to this thing and if they were instants, sorceries, or even a land, it won't even get pumped.

And comboing with SDT doesn't make it any better. What happens when SDT reveals 3 must keep cards? You'll be forced to hold Bioplasm back and lose an attack opportunity.

Fangreen Hunter is better then this. Same printed size, trample, and no risk of losing anything good.

Like I said, 2/5 tops.

 

[Kaizer]

Ok, while there are some valid points for it being a 2/5, it really does deserve that 3/5 slot. And I'll tell you why: http://www.serebiiforums.com/showthread.php?t=101853

Yes, the two cards have their differences, but as far as I can see they have this in common: CMC is five, Good p/t to mana cost ratio, have ways to get bigger, and oh, NO EVASION. Obviously the mulitcolor one is better and the two shouldn't be compared, but to make a point they will.

What happens with the Monger? It gets chumpblocked, a lot. There are times when it doesn't though simply because of it's effect. While Bioplasm may reveal its pump before blockers are declared, it'll still be unblocked in many situations, despite its self-pump. Often-times decks will need its creatures to successfully keep on playing so huge creatures only really get blocked out of neccessity. Not to mention its color means there will be a plethora of creatures to worry about on its side. Some will attack with it, and some will become a part of it. If there are creatures smaller than it that can be dealt with and it itself isn't too large, I'd leave it unblocked to reduce damage that can be dealt in later turns.

Next you move onto its "lack" of evasion. Once again, this is green people. It doesn't need built in evasion, it just likes it.

And honestly, that card when you attack is largely insignificant. If you hit a creature (especially when the plasm breaks through) then you just saved yourself the cost of actually playing that creature, but it still dealt its damage. Last time I checked, this resulted in a tempo advantage.

Seriously, this card is good. Even if it DOES get chump blocked a lot, why do large creatures get chump blocked and what is the result of that? You start to dominate the field. This card allows itself to be saved from most assaults against it because it can get bigger before being blocked and have far more p/t than the opponent's creatures should be able to be dealt with.

3/5 people. No more, no less.
;245;

 

[chaoslord]

Chaoslord, I think your logic is fairly off.

Bioplasm is AT BEST a 2/5. Comparing it to Dark Confidant and Psychatog is easily one of the worse things I have ever had to read in my MTG lifetime.

Not really. Its quite a good comparison, actually. Im aware my logic seems a bit off, and I'm aware the DC and 'Tog are MUCH better, theres no denying that. But, the thing is, Confidant has a bigger drawback, and Tog gets rid of more useful cards. Thats all I'm saying. I'm comparing the abilities to the use of bioplasm's, not cards.

Card advantage wins games, so who cares if your life total is 20 or 1 if your opponent's is zero.

And who cares how many cards you lost if your opponents life is zero?

With Dark Confidant, you get to keep the top of your deck. With Bioplasm, it's lost until the game is over. While Dark Confidant might draw into something unplayable at the moment you draw it, it doesn't mean it cannot be played later. With Bioplasm, it's just gone.

But there IS the real possibility of not ever being able to use that card. Not often, but it happens. Thats all I'm saying there.

Now, comparing Bioplasm to Psychatog is like comparing the best thing on Earth to a piece of garbage you picked up at the dump.

The main difference is, with Psychatog, you feed it and it's guarenteed to get bigger. Your opponent won't know what size Smilie will be before he blocks. Does the player have a Thirst For Knowledge or Fact or Fiction to give it more cards to feed? Or is it simply the number we see now? Or will he just keep it a 1/2 if it's unblocked?

With Bioplasm, you have to have it charge into the enemy and play a game of risk. Will the card you reveal show something large enough for your creature to be bigger/better then anything your opponent has in play? Or will it hit nothing and be a simple 4/4?

Your opponent will see how large your Bioplasm is before he blocks, as removal of top deck is done upon declaration of attack. This means if you reveal a 5/5, your opponent can easily just drop a 1/1 to chump it thanks to the lack of evasion. And if you reveal a instant, sorcery, or land, your opponent can just drop a their 5/5 to take it down. And when that happens, not only did you lose your 5 mana 4/4, but you also lost a potentially playable card that was the unfortunate victim of Bioplasm.

Yeah, but thats obvious. You also forget to take into account Green's combat tricks. And again, I wasnt comparing usefulness. Again, Tog >>>>> Bioplasm. Not the point I was making comparing them.

Not only does Bioplasm open it's owner to possibly accelerating Dimir's milling strategy, and victory, but it can also potentially ruin you, as you may just lose your game winning cards to this thing and if they were instants, sorceries, or even a land, it won't even get pumped.

And Dark Confidant brings you closer to losing to burn, which is an integral part of RDW and/or BDW, in a lot of cases. Does that make confidant bad? no. And milling != too great a strategy. Neither does burn though. However, NEITHER matter as long as you have 1 card or 1 life left. You win regardelss. You made this point yourself earlier.

And comboing with SDT doesn't make it any better. What happens when SDT reveals 3 must keep cards? You'll be forced to hold Bioplasm back and lose an attack opportunity.

Fangreen Hunter is better then this. Same printed size, trample, and no risk of losing anything good.

Then confidants not as great a card. Cards like SDT greatly improve the Confidant. Blindly drawing at a variable life isnt that great. If it was a flat rate, it wouldnt matter. But since you DO have to worry about variables, SDT improves it by at least .5.

Like I said, 2/5 tops.

Well, at least you didnt give it a 1. I can see 2. But not 1.